1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, system, and computer useable program code for accessing a secure area utilizing a plurality of security badge orientations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today, security badges are in general use because of the need to discriminate between authorized and unauthorized persons and between employees and non-employees, as well as other groups. Improved security of a facility or business is achieved when an effective security badge system is employed. Badge readers or scanners are used to control access to certain secure areas in a facility and to restrict the use of certain secure pieces of equipment, such as machinery, computers, or vehicles. The badge reader may be adapted to read a magnetic code placed on the security badge or to optically detect certain coded information placed on or in the badge.
Typically, businesses desire to maintain an extremely secure access control system for vital areas. Security badges and badge readers that rely exclusively on magnetically encoded data generally are undesirable if security is a major factor to the business because the magnetic information may readily be decoded. Similarly, security badges and badge readers that rely exclusively on visible symbols such as numbers, letters, or bar codes also may not be desirable when security is a major consideration because the code may readily be observed and copied. Moreover, a lost or stolen security badge with only a magnetic strip or code on it may present a security risk in that the lost or stolen security badge is not usually reported missing for at least 24 hours. Consequently, an unauthorized person may use the lost or stolen security badge during that period of time.
Other secure access control systems may uniquely link an individual to a security badge by some physiological factor, such as, for example, a photograph, fingerprint, hand geometry, signature, or voice print. Where a physiological link is employed, the issuance of such a security badge may be quite costly, time consuming, and suffer from other drawbacks as well. Further, the determination as to whether such a security badge is valid or expired often requires close scrutiny, which is not always possible.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an improved computer implemented method, system, and computer useable program code for accessing a secure area by using a plurality of security badge gestures or “secret handshakes.”